Hesperaloe plant named ‘Perfu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hesperaloe  plant named ‘Perfu’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; tall and erect pink-colored peduncles; campanulate pink-colored flowers with flared apices; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hesperaloe funifera×Hesperaloe parviflora.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PERFU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHesperaloe plant, botanically known as Hesperaloe funifera×Hesperaloeparviflora and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Perfu’.

The new Hesperaloe plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Tucson, Ariz. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new Hesperaloe plants with unique flower form andcolor.

The new Hesperaloe plant originated from a cross-pollination in 1997 ofan unnamed selection of Hesperaloe funifera, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Hesperaloeparviflora, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newHesperaloe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2002 asa single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Phoenix, Ariz.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hesperaloe plant by tissue culture in acontrolled greenhouse environment Phoenix, Ariz. has shown that theunique features of this new Hesperaloe plant are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hesperaloe have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Perfu’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Perfu’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHesperaloe:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Tall and erect pink-colored peduncles.    -   4. Campanulate pink-colored flowers with flared apices.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hesperaloe have shorter leaves than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hesperaloe are pink in color        whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are        creamy white in color.    -   3. Peduncles of plants of the new Hesperaloe are shorter than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Peduncles of plants of the new Hesperaloe are vertically        orientated whereas peduncles of plants of the female parent        selection are outwardly orientated.    -   5. Peduncles of plants of the new Hesperaloe are pink in color        whereas peduncles of plants of the female parent selection are        green in color.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differ from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Hesperaloe are pink in color        whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection are coral        red in color.    -   2. Peduncles of plants of the new Hesperaloe are vertically        orientated whereas peduncles of plants of the male parent        selection are outwardly orientated.    -   3. Peduncles of plants of the new Hesperaloe are pink in color        whereas peduncles of plants of the male parent selection are        green in color.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can be compared to plants of the Hesperaloeparviflora ‘Perpa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/583,681. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differ from plants of ‘Perpa’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hesperaloe are larger than plants of        ‘Perpa’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hesperaloe have larger leaves than plants        of ‘Perpa’.    -   3. Plants of the new Hesperaloe and ‘Perpa’ differ in leaf        color.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Hesperaloe are pink in color        whereas flowers of plants of ‘Perpa’ are red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hesperaloe plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Hesperaloe plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Perfu’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view ofa typical plant of ‘Perfu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants of the new Hesperaloe grown in 30.5-cmcontainers in Cochise County, Ariz. during the summer in an outdoornursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 32° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27°C. Plants were five years old when the photographs and the descriptionwere taken. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hesperaloe funifera×Hesperaloe parviflora    ‘Perfu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Hesperaloe            funifera, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Hesperaloe            parviflora, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; tough.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous plant; upright plant            habit; vigorous growth habit; leaves arranged in a basal            rosette with a tall erect central flower stalk.        -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescence.—About            224 cm.        -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane.—About            64 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 76 cm.-   Stem description:    -   -   Internode length.—About 6 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 157D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—In a basal rosette, whorled; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 82 cm.        -   Width.—At the apex, close to 2.5 mm; mid-section, about 1.8            cm; at the base, about 5.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Elongated lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Clasping the stem.        -   Margin.—Entire; filiferous.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; rigid,            tough; longitudinally ridged.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146D.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146D; towards the            apex, overlain with close to 173B to 173C; towards the base,            close to 13B; venation, close to 146D. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C; towards the apex,            overlain with close to 173B to 173C; towards the base, close            to 13B; venation, close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance/arrangement.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged in terminal upright racemes; flowers with flared            petal apexes; freely flowering habit with usually about            1,000 flowers per inflorescence; flowers initially face            upright and then face outwardly with development.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from March to            mid to late summer in Arizona.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 58 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 55B.        -   Flower segments.—Quantity per flower: Six segments fused            towards the base; apices flared. Length: About 1.9 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Elliptical, narrow. Apex: Acute;            reflexed. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 49D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 55B. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 75C to 75D; color becoming            closer to 62D with development. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 67C to 67D; color becoming closer to 70D with            development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 124 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Lighter than 182D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from peduncle            axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 183D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About            six. Filament length: About 1.1 cm. Filament color: Close to            75D. Anther shape: Oblong to lanceolate. Anther length:            About 5 mm. Anther color: Close to 6D. Amount of pollen:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Quantity            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.4 cm. Style length:            About 7 mm. Style color: Close to NN155D. Stigma appearance:            Capitate. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close            to 1D.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About 60. Length: About 9 mm.            Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: Close to 159D.        -   Fruits.—Type: Tri-locular capsule. Length: About 2.7 cm.            Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to 146C.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hesperaloe have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about 50° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hesperaloe have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Hesperaloe.

1. A new and distinct Hesperaloe plant named ‘Perfu’ as illustrated anddescribed.